"Thank you for saving Talulah."
In the grand hall on the top floor of the hotel, Lady Wen Yue didn't immediately approach Talulah. Instead, she walked up to Daniel Davis to express her gratitude for saving Talulah from the immortal Black Snake, Koschei.
"Lady Wen Yue, there's no need to be so polite. It was just a coincidence," Daniel replied. Deep down, he felt some regret. If he had arrived in this world before the catastrophe in Chernobog, Rhodes Island wouldn't have lost so many operators.
"Are you worried about the relationship between Talulah and Governor Wei?" Seeing the mix of relief and concern in Lady Wen Yue's eyes as she looked toward Talulah and the others, Daniel spoke up.
"You don't need to worry too much. From what I know, Koschei trained Talulah to be a fighter for the Infected, hoping to crush her ideals with the harshness of reality so he could take over her body. He didn't instill any hatred toward Governor Wei in her.
Of course, this is just my observation. As for how Talulah herself feels and what she will do, I can't say for sure."
Regardless of the circumstances, Wei Yenwu had killed Talulah's father, Edward. This fact was undeniable, no matter how complex the situation had been. Daniel chose not to interfere in this matter, much like how he stayed out of the conflict between Tony Stark and Bucky Barnes. If it hadn't been for Peggy Carter's intervention, the rift between Tony and Steve Rogers would have been much harder to mend. In the original timeline, it took the threat of Thanos to bring them back together.
Talulah's situation, however, was somewhat better, thanks to Koschei. In his efforts to shape Talulah's ideals, he had avoided filling her with hatred.
"Talk to her properly."
While the future of Talulah's relationship with Wei Yenwu was uncertain, it was clear that Talulah held no grudge against Lady Wen Yue. The same went for Ch'en. She might be cold toward Wei Yenwu, but she had a different attitude toward Lady Wen Yue, who had taken care of both sisters in the past.
Given Ch'en's relationship with Talulah, it was likely that Talulah wouldn't seek to kill Wei Yenwu. At most, she might treat him as a stranger and ignore him.
Talulah deeply cared for her sister. Whether during her time in Koschei's dukedom or after she killed Koschei and wandered the land, the one thing she never forgot was writing letters to Ch'en. Though she never sent them, they were more like diaries.
"These four together... It used to be a battle of dragons and tigers, with the mice caught in the middle. Now, with another dragon and a mouse, it's a double dragon and tiger show, with the mice still in trouble. Oh, and there's also Hoshiguma, the Oni."
After parting ways with Lady Wen Yue, Daniel watched as Talulah, Ch'en, Swire, and Lin Yühsia gathered together. He couldn't help but think of their dynamic. The four had once been classmates. Hoshiguma, perhaps not wanting to intrude, stayed aside, quietly drinking.
Candela had gone all out for their group, reserving the entire top floor of the hotel for them. Everything was complimentary, and Hoshiguma, never one to turn down free top-shelf alcohol, was enjoying herself.
"FrostNova and the Doctor seem to be getting along well."
In the luxurious hall, the group had split into several smaller clusters. Talulah, Ch'en, Swire, and Lin Yühsia were together; Hoshiguma was alone; the Doctor, Amiya, and FrostNova were in another group; and after his conversation with Lady Wen Yue, Daniel was also by himself.
Meanwhile, Shirayuki, who usually stayed by Lady Wen Yue's side, was hidden in the shadows, keeping watch. Even though Candela had provided security downstairs, Shirayuki insisted on fulfilling her duty.
"I've contacted Eyja. Let's have her come here. There are plenty of rooms, and it's better to use them than not. I can also check on her condition while we're at it. Let's go pick them up and leave this place to them."
Eyja hadn't returned to Rhodes Island for treatment because she was in Bolívar studying the volcanic activity there. With its abundant Originium deposits, Bolívar was home to many active volcanoes.
"The 8th Extreme Ironman Competition. The atmosphere is really lively."
As they stepped out of the hotel and onto the streets, the group immediately felt the energy of Dosores. The large screens lining the streets were all broadcasting updates about the Extreme Ironman Competition.
The preliminary rounds were underway, with teams fiercely competing for a spot in the main event. Only forty teams would make it to the finals, but there were already hundreds of teams in Dosores vying for those spots. The competition was intense.
The Extreme Ironman Competition in Dosores had no restrictions. Anyone, whether Infected or not, could participate. As a result, many Infected joined in, hoping for a chance at success. Making it into the competition meant a substantial payout, and with no entry barriers, many were willing to give it a shot.
Winning the competition or even performing well in the finals could set someone up for life, even if the prize money was split among team members. Since the Extreme Ironman Competition wasn't a combat or martial arts tournament, even those without exceptional strength could excel if they had other skills.
The forty spots in the finals were hidden in various events and competitions throughout Dosores, such as eating contests, arm-wrestling matches, high jumps, and casino tournaments.
"Shuimo ate an entire restaurant's stock. The owner probably won't dare to host an eating contest again."
As the screens showed the conclusion of the eating contest, a young man with a delicate, almost feminine appearance had emerged victorious. Daniel couldn't help but laugh.
Many of the events in Dosores were also marketing strategies. However, they were self-sustaining. For example, in the eating contest, only the winner ate for free. Everyone else had to pay for what they consumed. Generally, this was a profitable venture.
After all, how much could one person eat? Even Kroos couldn't eat an entire restaurant's worth of food. But Shuimo, with his unique physiology, was an exception.
The Doctor frowned as she watched Shuimo on the screen, likely noticing something unusual.
"They say he might be a Seaborn. I wonder if that's true."
Daniel didn't know much about Shuimo. If it weren't for his strikingly beautiful, almost feminine appearance, Daniel might have known even less. As a non-whale Doctor who only had SilverAsh and none of the other top-tier operators like Thorns, Surtr, or Eyja, Daniel had never rolled for Shuimo, a specialist operator.
"Congratulations to the Sweet Summer team for securing their spot in the competition!"
As the broadcast shifted to another team that had qualified, Daniel and the others continued their walk. The Sweet Summer team was a pair of loving couples, or so it seemed. According to the host, they were regulars at the Dosores Extreme Ironman Competition.
Daniel's group had arrived in Dosores earlier than Ch'en's original timeline, as they had traveled by plane. In the original timeline, Ch'en had taken a car, which was much slower.
The Terra continent was vast. Even though the distance from Siesta to Bolívar wasn't enormous, driving could take anywhere from a week to half a month, depending on road conditions. This was a world where mobile cities were common, and conventional travel norms didn't apply.
This showed just how eager Lady Wen Yue had been to see Talulah. Traveling from Lungmen to Bolívar was much farther than from Siesta, and it was clear that Lady Wen Yue had also used an aircraft.
Dosores, unlike Siesta, had a designated area for aircraft, likely due to its location on the western edge of the continent.
"Amiya, Doctor, over here."
The group soon arrived at an open-air café by the artificial lake, where they met Eyja, along with Cuora and Projekt Red. Cuora and Projekt Red were Eyja's bodyguards during her research expeditions. While Leithania had undervalued Eyja, Kal'tsit held her in high regard.
Since joining Rhodes Island, Eyja had been provided with all the resources she needed for her research. Every time she went out to study, a team of operators accompanied her, and her funding was ample.
Kal'tsit valued Eyja not for her talent in Originium Arts, though her exceptional abilities could have made her a formidable fighter. In reality, Eyja was more of a researcher than a combatant, unlike her portrayal in the game.
Kal'tsit was interested in Eyja's research on the causes and systems behind Terra's catastrophes. This was the focus of Eyja's parents' work. After they died in a volcanic catastrophe, Eyja took up their research.
She had published numerous papers, though they were dismissed as heretical by mainstream Originium researchers. However, Kal'tsit saw their value. After reading Eyja's papers, Daniel understood why.
Eyja's research suggested that Originium was alive and conscious, the remains of some ancient being. This was a hard pill to swallow for experts who viewed Originium solely as an energy source.
If Eyja's theory was true, what kind of being could turn into Originium after death? Were humans essentially using the remains of such beings? And if such beings existed, were there more of them? If they were still alive, what did that make humans?
For many, it was easier to believe that Originium was just a mineral. The connection between Originium and catastrophes was seen as a natural phenomenon.
The idea that Originium was conscious was accepted by only a few, even within Rhine Lab.
"A ship from the Iberian era, just a yacht. I wonder what its interior is like. I'd like to take a look sometime."
Sitting at the open-air café, they had a clear view of a luxurious yacht in the center of the artificial lake. According to Dosores' propaganda, this ship was a damaged vessel that Candela had bought from Iberia at great cost and then restored.
In this world, even a damaged yacht was a rare sight.
Daniel was no stranger to yachts, though he had never owned one in the Marvel world. For some reason, private yachts and planes seemed to be status symbols for the wealthy.
Even Tony Stark, who mostly traveled in his Iron Man suit, owned both a private jet and a yacht. He had even recommended them to Daniel, but Daniel had declined. Buying something that would only be used once a year for parties didn't appeal to him.
However, in the world of One Piece, Daniel did have a yacht, mainly used by Chelsia and the others.
"Don't be nervous. There won't be any pain."
Back in the hotel's top-floor suite, Eyja was visibly excited when Daniel told her he could treat her condition. For Eyja, it wasn't the fear of dying from Oripathy that troubled her, but the fear of not completing her parents' research before her time was up. This was why she continued her volcanic research despite her illness.
Hearing that her body could be healed naturally filled her with hope.
As Eyja nodded, Daniel began using the power of the Op-Op Fruit to treat her. Due to her ear problems, Eyja also had a slight stutter, except when discussing her research. Because of her hearing impairment, she often responded to others with a smile and a nod, even when she couldn't fully understand them.
The hearing issues caused by Oripathy could only be slightly alleviated with hearing aids.
"Thankfully, she went to Rhodes Island. If the Originium crystals had formed in a more critical area, it would have been fatal." After removing the Originium crystals from Eyja's body, Daniel sighed softly.
Eyja might look like a soft, gentle girl, but the location of her Originium crystals revealed her incredible resilience. Most people wouldn't have been able to continue their research under such conditions.
"Eyja, how do you feel?"
"Amiya, I can hear! I can hear clearly!"
For the first time, Eyja could hear with perfect clarity, and she was visibly moved. She immediately thanked Daniel profusely.
"No need to be so polite. Rhodes Island and I are partners now."
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